Posted on Apr 28, 2020
Top 5 questions the military community has about transition & job seeking
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It’s not news to anyone that transitioning out of the military is one of the most stressful times we face as veterans. It’s a time you’re taking care of our family, translating skills, trying to stop using acronyms, and generally feeling like you’re always playing from behind. One day I went from an Air Force career that I absolutely loved and had me on TDY to Kauai and Florida four months out of the year, to taking a TAP class filled with Airmen like myself who were in the final phase of transition. In 2012, when I landed with RallyPoint on my third transition, I started to see a trend of other veterans going through similar challenges and asking questions about what they should do. Of the 6M discussions on RallyPoint, here are some of the top questions that focus on transition and job seeking:
What are people with my MOS doing in the civilian world?
At this point, we’ve all seen our share of MOS translator tools. Imagine being a Chinook pilot or EOD tech and using one of those tools. It’s likely you aren’t going to find your civilian equivalent. RallyPoint members have consistently crowdsourced information within MOS groups to ask, “what is everyone doing out there in the civilian world?” The answer is – a TON. Just look at the people inside each of these groups. Many are Presidents, CEOs, and successful business leaders working in a wide range of industries. While there isn’t a silver bullet to tell you what you should be doing, there is some very helpful networking going on with members. When these folks do nail down a company and role that they're interested in, you can bet they’d like to see other veterans like them thriving in their career.
Is this company really “Veteran Friendly”?
One of my favorite RallyPoint discussions: “If a company states they are ‘Veteran Friendly’, what is your initial reaction?” One of the top responses – IT’S A TRAP (accompanied by the Star Wars meme). There is a lot to discuss here, but generally veterans are skeptical when an employer is aiming to hire 15,000 veterans without describing why it’s important to their business or sharing what roles most of these vets will be performing. We know we bring a lot of value to an organization and hope the employer can understand some of the unique skill sets we hold. For example, a Sea Bee, an Artillery Officer, and an Avionics Technician bring a wide range of skills to the table. There are some employers who really get the nuances of these roles and thousands of others. Primarily because they allow veterans to run their military outreach and help develop handbooks and guides for recruiters to better understand the range of skills vets bring with them. It’s ultimately on us as veterans to effectively communicate our experience, but we always remember the employers who have done that little bit of homework to know not to call a Marine a Soldier.
If you could do your transition all over again, what would you do differently?
There is some great advice living in these discussions. Right up near the top of the list you’ll hear many of us talking about wishing we spent more time researching civilian careers and sticking to a plan earlier in our transition. Many of us never sit down with that blank sheet of paper and start writing down careers we think we might enjoy. It’s so foreign to not have a set of orders coming from personnel command telling you where you’re going and what you’re going to be doing. You’ll also hear us talking about wishing we put the time aside to get the degree or certifications we needed for that job we are shooting for. This requires some serious advanced planning and yet another regret many of us have.
How do you know when it’s time to leave the military?
The military has a way of building a routine and safety net that is incredibly hard to let go of.
We don’t spend a lot of time worrying about the health of the economy, a 401K, rent/mortgage, providing healthcare for our family, or negotiating a salary. Beyond serving a mission greater than yourself and working alongside some amazing people, these benefits are a great way to keep you in. The RallyPoint community has provided thousands of answers as to why they left. Many, like those in the civilian world, reach a point in their career when their job no longer brings them the same excitement they once had. We’ve all had that one commander or boss who pushed us to the edge of making that decision sooner. Whatever the reason might be, we need to decide what’s best for us and not the military which is an incredibly new concept.
What is a “protected veteran”?
When I finally got to the phase of getting hired, I was asked to qualify myself as a ‘protected veteran’ during the on-boarding process. You can see the definition flow chart created by the DOL here. (https://rly.pt/ProtectedVeteran) This was not given to me in my first hiring package, so I remember thinking that it must be for something that I’m not qualified for, so I drove on without checking the box. I’ve shared a few laughs with other vets who had their own interpretation of this as well.
If you’re a servicemember, veteran, or someone who has gone through your own transition, let’s hear your advice on these top questions.
If you’re an employer looking to engage & hire more veterans, feel free to email our RallyPoint team here: [login to see]
What are people with my MOS doing in the civilian world?
At this point, we’ve all seen our share of MOS translator tools. Imagine being a Chinook pilot or EOD tech and using one of those tools. It’s likely you aren’t going to find your civilian equivalent. RallyPoint members have consistently crowdsourced information within MOS groups to ask, “what is everyone doing out there in the civilian world?” The answer is – a TON. Just look at the people inside each of these groups. Many are Presidents, CEOs, and successful business leaders working in a wide range of industries. While there isn’t a silver bullet to tell you what you should be doing, there is some very helpful networking going on with members. When these folks do nail down a company and role that they're interested in, you can bet they’d like to see other veterans like them thriving in their career.
Is this company really “Veteran Friendly”?
One of my favorite RallyPoint discussions: “If a company states they are ‘Veteran Friendly’, what is your initial reaction?” One of the top responses – IT’S A TRAP (accompanied by the Star Wars meme). There is a lot to discuss here, but generally veterans are skeptical when an employer is aiming to hire 15,000 veterans without describing why it’s important to their business or sharing what roles most of these vets will be performing. We know we bring a lot of value to an organization and hope the employer can understand some of the unique skill sets we hold. For example, a Sea Bee, an Artillery Officer, and an Avionics Technician bring a wide range of skills to the table. There are some employers who really get the nuances of these roles and thousands of others. Primarily because they allow veterans to run their military outreach and help develop handbooks and guides for recruiters to better understand the range of skills vets bring with them. It’s ultimately on us as veterans to effectively communicate our experience, but we always remember the employers who have done that little bit of homework to know not to call a Marine a Soldier.
If you could do your transition all over again, what would you do differently?
There is some great advice living in these discussions. Right up near the top of the list you’ll hear many of us talking about wishing we spent more time researching civilian careers and sticking to a plan earlier in our transition. Many of us never sit down with that blank sheet of paper and start writing down careers we think we might enjoy. It’s so foreign to not have a set of orders coming from personnel command telling you where you’re going and what you’re going to be doing. You’ll also hear us talking about wishing we put the time aside to get the degree or certifications we needed for that job we are shooting for. This requires some serious advanced planning and yet another regret many of us have.
How do you know when it’s time to leave the military?
The military has a way of building a routine and safety net that is incredibly hard to let go of.
We don’t spend a lot of time worrying about the health of the economy, a 401K, rent/mortgage, providing healthcare for our family, or negotiating a salary. Beyond serving a mission greater than yourself and working alongside some amazing people, these benefits are a great way to keep you in. The RallyPoint community has provided thousands of answers as to why they left. Many, like those in the civilian world, reach a point in their career when their job no longer brings them the same excitement they once had. We’ve all had that one commander or boss who pushed us to the edge of making that decision sooner. Whatever the reason might be, we need to decide what’s best for us and not the military which is an incredibly new concept.
What is a “protected veteran”?
When I finally got to the phase of getting hired, I was asked to qualify myself as a ‘protected veteran’ during the on-boarding process. You can see the definition flow chart created by the DOL here. (https://rly.pt/ProtectedVeteran) This was not given to me in my first hiring package, so I remember thinking that it must be for something that I’m not qualified for, so I drove on without checking the box. I’ve shared a few laughs with other vets who had their own interpretation of this as well.
If you’re a servicemember, veteran, or someone who has gone through your own transition, let’s hear your advice on these top questions.
If you’re an employer looking to engage & hire more veterans, feel free to email our RallyPoint team here: [login to see]
Transition
Job Seeker
Employment
Military Family
Civilian Recruiter
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 27
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Thanks for posting this, Brandon! I work with Vets2PM and we help transitioning military and veterans earn meaningful, lucrative post-service careers. I am Director of Career Services and I speak with Veterans every day (spoke with an Army COL yesterday) about their resume, LinkedIn profile, and in general, preparing for their job search.
Each of your topics is spot on, of course, and I'd like to add a little about each.
The correlation between MOS and what that translates to in jobs in the CivDiv - Yes, your MOS ensures you have depth in a specific area, however veterans have breadth of experience. Matching MOS to jobs in the CivDiv is usually disappointing. I suggest doing a Venn Diagram of sorts, understanding your expertise, and how it translates to what you want to do (what would you do for free...and what careers get you closest to that), coupled with your geographic preferences, and let's face it, what pay you require to get started. Take those results and begin your research at least a year in advance and start networking and conducting research that will lead you to what you want to do moving forward, and with which companies.
Veteran Friendly companies - I've done some consulting on this topic, and you are on point - Veteran Friendly means nothing if there are not a) programs in place to support it all the way down the organization and b) true support for veterans after they are hired. Questions to ask or information to seek: Does the company have a Veteran Resource Group? Does the company provide a mentor or formal onboarding program for Veterans? Does the company include a Veteran in job interviews? Does the company have a Veteran on the TA staff who manages Veteran resumes when they are submitted? I could go on and on here, and veteran hiring program or not, I believe Veteran Underemployment is a direct correlation to companies not understanding the resume when a veteran applies, and therefore they pass over highly qualified candidates...it's one of the reasons I'm a professional resume writer who specializes in transitioning military - to - civilian resumes.
Planning your transition LONG before the TAP class is key. Before a year out (of you have the luxury of knowing when you are transitioning / retiring), and always, really, you should be doing the Venn Diagram of what you look like post-transition. Get your resume in order, get your LinkedIn profile in order, begin to network and build that network thoughtfully - people who will be your peers, subordinates, and senior leaders in the industry you are interested in, and with the companies you are interested in, and in the geographic area you are targeting.
Advanced planning is key; one day you will transition. Period. Plan for it now because the military provides amazing resources to do this at little / no cost - and that is rare in the CivDiv. Take advantage of it. We train for the PMP and other certifications, and they are covered under most COOL programs, as are tons of certifications. Take advantage of that while you can. Credentials are hard to get under the GI Bill, so use the COOL funding while you can. Otherwise you are left with two choices post-transition: taking a free program that doesn't give you much latitude and proper time to plan for testing; or you are going to pay for a quality program. Nothing wrong in investing in yourself, as millions of people do, however, if you can get it for free...do that!
Thanks for your great article and I appreciate the opportunity to participate in the discussion!
Each of your topics is spot on, of course, and I'd like to add a little about each.
The correlation between MOS and what that translates to in jobs in the CivDiv - Yes, your MOS ensures you have depth in a specific area, however veterans have breadth of experience. Matching MOS to jobs in the CivDiv is usually disappointing. I suggest doing a Venn Diagram of sorts, understanding your expertise, and how it translates to what you want to do (what would you do for free...and what careers get you closest to that), coupled with your geographic preferences, and let's face it, what pay you require to get started. Take those results and begin your research at least a year in advance and start networking and conducting research that will lead you to what you want to do moving forward, and with which companies.
Veteran Friendly companies - I've done some consulting on this topic, and you are on point - Veteran Friendly means nothing if there are not a) programs in place to support it all the way down the organization and b) true support for veterans after they are hired. Questions to ask or information to seek: Does the company have a Veteran Resource Group? Does the company provide a mentor or formal onboarding program for Veterans? Does the company include a Veteran in job interviews? Does the company have a Veteran on the TA staff who manages Veteran resumes when they are submitted? I could go on and on here, and veteran hiring program or not, I believe Veteran Underemployment is a direct correlation to companies not understanding the resume when a veteran applies, and therefore they pass over highly qualified candidates...it's one of the reasons I'm a professional resume writer who specializes in transitioning military - to - civilian resumes.
Planning your transition LONG before the TAP class is key. Before a year out (of you have the luxury of knowing when you are transitioning / retiring), and always, really, you should be doing the Venn Diagram of what you look like post-transition. Get your resume in order, get your LinkedIn profile in order, begin to network and build that network thoughtfully - people who will be your peers, subordinates, and senior leaders in the industry you are interested in, and with the companies you are interested in, and in the geographic area you are targeting.
Advanced planning is key; one day you will transition. Period. Plan for it now because the military provides amazing resources to do this at little / no cost - and that is rare in the CivDiv. Take advantage of it. We train for the PMP and other certifications, and they are covered under most COOL programs, as are tons of certifications. Take advantage of that while you can. Credentials are hard to get under the GI Bill, so use the COOL funding while you can. Otherwise you are left with two choices post-transition: taking a free program that doesn't give you much latitude and proper time to plan for testing; or you are going to pay for a quality program. Nothing wrong in investing in yourself, as millions of people do, however, if you can get it for free...do that!
Thanks for your great article and I appreciate the opportunity to participate in the discussion!
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If the military training and MOS/ AFSC/Or other military job descriptions and you seek a licenses, certified translate to civil jobs, FAA certified for Pilots and Mechanics.. thier a shortage now, and STEM personal are in high demand .
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Transitioning out is incredibly hard. When I left the military I had no resources to help me. That is why I am a mentor with ACP and at the company I work for I am a veteran advocate.
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before you get out of service go get your teeth work done ,and eye wear make sure you have copy of all your medical records if you were hurt when an where dates make sure you keep them in a safe place go over your records before you process out ,because when you get out uncle sam loses alot of records that is no 1 you do list dont wait
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I retired in 1986 as a Food Service Instructor, and Logistics Specialist. I had 2 MOS's that I kept current because of their similarity. My wife, now ex, wanted to return to Oregon. I didn't really care where I retired as long as I was with my family, and could provide for them. I went to the Oregon Employment office to get a listing of jobs, and went to them and applied. One of the businesses told me the military doesn't show me much. Others said I was over qualified. I finally was hired by someone that had a maintenance contract with the McNary dam to provide daily maintenance at the visitors areas. Then I started college, and then started working for the Post Office. If you are in logistics, apply for logistics jobs prior to your retirement or separation. There are many companies looking for qualified logistics experts, and the military has the best.
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I'm a retired military spouse looking to renew my military ID card can you help?
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Capt Brandon Charters
Great question. I would go to RallyPoint home: https://www.rallypoint.com/home, click the light blue box that says "Ask a question" and use the tag 'spouse'. This should get your question out to a few thousand folks who might be able to help.
RallyPoint | The Military's Professional Network
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I guess it depends on what you are looking for. A few months before I retired (1989) I started working evenings part-time as a Receiving Clerk in a warehouse. After I retired I applied for a computer operator job at the same company (1990). A few months later (1991) I applied for a Data Analyst job and while doing that I picked up programming (also had some simple programming experience from the Army) and my job description expanded (1992) to include that as well. When Y2K (remember that?) started heating up I took a job in Arizona (1998) at twice what I was making. (The place I was working offered more ($10K increase) but not enough... and I got a little pissed that if they could offer me that to stay, why didn't they offer me that all along?) Anyway, I changed jobs one more time when the company I was working in Arizona got taken over by a band of corporate pirates. This new job (2000) was as IT Manager. In 2003 I decided it was enough and totally retired.
It seems one must do what feels right for them.
It seems one must do what feels right for them.
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If you get to the interview don't sell yourself short. If you were in the military you know how to show up on time, you can complete what you were instructed to do, you can give a class on something you knew nothing about a year ago. That last one is a biggie and I can barely drag it out of veterans when they are interviewing.
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They say they want military really don't want us. Waste of time with those companies
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Biggest item is: what can you do for them! How can your military experience and skills make them more successful? They hire people that fit into the company and can make an improvement.
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